Friday, September 28, 2012

For my autumn featured blogger, I chose Blair of Love, Blair. Blair is a fellow Grand Rapids gal and I've loved the chance to get to know her in person over the past few months! Her, Kayley and I have made a great bond of friendship and I love having bloggers in the area to confide in and relate to. Blair's modern, edgy style always inspires me and I love seeing her in familiar locations around the city. One of my favorite things about Blair is how gorgeous she is, but yet how down to earth she is. It's such a breath of fresh air. Here are some questions for you to get to know her better!

1. When and why did you start your blog?

The "Love, Blair" journey began just over a year ago. I used to have an art blog with my friend Aline in Brazil. It was our way of staying connected and sharing our creative obsessions. But as I began to drift more into fashion/beauty and Aline into poetry/photography we decided to create our own personal corners of the interwebs - and that's how "Love, Blair" was birthed!

2. Tell us a little bit about your blog and what you focus on.

I'd equate "Love, Blair" to being my fashion and beauty sandbox. It's where I play and create on my own terms! But typically you'll find personal style photos, makeup musings or DIY hair tutorials. It's definitely a 'girls-only' kind of sandbox.

3. Can you quick brief us on your many jobs/talents? ;)

Oh geez. Where do I begin? You said "brief" so I'll try and stick with that! I freelance in social media marketing, mainly within the beauty industry. I'm a model with the Matthew Agency and an aspiring writer - you can find some of my work on Chictopia and BirchBox's blogs. Beyond that I've worked in PR, marketing and salon management. Doesn't really make sense for a girl who has her MA in Counseling, huh?

4. Describe your style in three words.

Modern. Eclectic. Minimalist.

5. What's your favorite thing to do in your freetime?

Confession. I'm a total nerd. I love reading books on business (I know, I know), watching foreign films and discussing world news with my husband. On the flip-side I'm always game for white wine and a night out with friends. Those occur often! ;)

6. Favorite thing about living in Grand Rapids?

Downtown living is the best. There's always something fun to do within walking distance from our apartment. Personally, I think Grand Rapids is a great spot for us artsy 20-somethings. Indie concerts, vegan eateries, bike lanes and coffee shops galore!

7. How long have you been married & can you tell us a little bit about Ross?

Ross is my man of mystery. He appears on the blog too infrequently! He's tall with dark features and incredible handsome (but I'm not biased at all). Definitely a laid-back intellectual with a dash of sarcasm. By day he's a freelance web developer and by night, the drummer for Glory Days, a local rock band. We actually just celebrated our one year wedding anniversary on September 2nd!

9. Favorite bands/musicians?

Currently obsessing over Grimes, Polica, Niki & The Dove, Porcelain Raft, Blood Orange and the latest album from The xx. However, if I'm working you'll find me listening to Trance Around the World. For some reason I'm most productive while listening to trance music - it's what got me through grad school!

10. Any tips for new bloggers starting out?

Be yourself. Write about what you know. Utilize social media. Choose quality or quantity. Take risks and use blogging to teach yourself new skills. But most importantly, have a blast while doing it!

I hope you all enjoyed getting to know Blair a little bit more. Be sure to head over to her blog and follow along! You can also keep up with her on Twitter and Facebook. And... if you enjoyed reading this feature, be sure to check out my other featured bloggers!

The golden light, the subtle warm breeze, temperatures in their 60s, wearing cardigans yet riding with the windows down... ah yes, autumn is finally here. I couldn't be more excited. The only things I've accomplished from my bucket list so far are... wear flannel and watch the entire Back to the Future trilogy (that was a lazy Sunday!) But it's supposed to be perfect outside this entire week and I have lots of fall plans for this upcoming weekend! I'm hoping to knock out a fourth of the list in one amazing day!

Hm, not much else is really new besides the fact that I adore autumn and it's my favorite time of year. Work is great. I'm having fun with friends. Eric is wonderful. My apartment is a mess. But, I'm finally back into the idea of fixing up and decorating my place. I've been going Pinterest crazy and have an entire IKEA wishlist of items I want. My biggest priorities are to fix up the entryway and dining room. I'd love to have people over for dinners and movies, but it's just so impossible right now. Finishing this apartment is definitely a winter goal of mine. Then spring... puppy time?!

When I originally planned this outfit, I wanted to take pictures somewhere deep in a forest. It's probably just because ModCloth always tricks me with their clever titles for clothing items. Hah! But Eric brought me to these railroad tracks a few months ago and I loved it, so I was happy to come back with him! amykathryn sent me this gorgeous Jasmine Sienna bag. The colors are so perfectly autumn and I love how organized I can be with all of the zippers and pockets!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

I always love the chance to promote a fashionable, local event and especially one that contributes toward a great cause. On October 11, I'm going to be a guest judge at the Little Black Dress party in the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Proceeds will benefit the West Michigan Cancer Center in honor of Julie Reinholt - a breast cancer survivor. It is truly an evening of celebrating the little black dress tradition in your own personal style while enjoying a great girls night out! There will be drinks, a cutest shoes competition (which I'm guest judging for!), food, a fashion show and fun! You can learn more about it here on Facebook.

Would you like to win tickets for you and 3 of your best girlfriends to the Little Black Dress party? All you need to do to enter is take a photo of your favorite LBD, then post it to Instagram with the hashtag #LBDkzoo by 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/10/2012.

Also, feel free to post this on Facebook and Twitter for extra likes on your photo (they might help you win!)

At the contest's end, we'll be voting on a favorite to win tickets for you and your 3 girlfriends to attend the party! Have fun putting together your ensemble, and good luck!

If you'd rather just attend and not participate in the contest, be sure to head over to Facebook to RSVP and purchase your tickets here! And be sure to say hi at the party - I'd love to meet you!

Monday, September 24, 2012

I'm teaming up with Marshalls for a fun, fall challenge! They recently contacted me and asked me to create an outfit under $100. They wanted us to tackle a top fall trend - color, prints or ladylike with an edge. I used to dress a lot more edgy, maybe even a little punk. Leather jackets, strap up wedges, torn tights/jeans and a lot more black, but I feel like I've gotten away from that lately. Well, it's a goal of mine to get it back. I love looking a bit more edgy with some feminine and vintage-inspired items thrown in. It was how I used to describe my style. So I took the ladylike with an edge challenge. I've been swooning over this outfit on Pinterest for months, so it was my mission to recreate it at Marshalls. Psh, so easy. I found similar pieces so quickly!

This outfit was actually created just over $50. The dress was $15, the coat was $35 and the belt was $3. I couldn't find the exact boots I wanted there, so I wore my Dolce Vita boots from last season from T.J. Maxx and my vintage Coach purse. I stuck with silver accents in my jewelry and went with bed head waves. Psh, what am I saying? I go with the bed head look everyday. I'm always a bit messy. Hah!

The best part about this challenge is that I now get to offer you a chance to win $100 to Marshalls to have your own fall fashion spree! All you have to do is comment on this post and tell me what trends you're most excited for, or share your favorite designer score from Marshalls. I'll be choosing a winner in a week, so stay tuned!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

We're finally seeing hints of fall here in Michigan! When Eric and I were out snapping photos, standing out in this field felt so autumn. The golden sunlight, the corn fields, the crisp air. Now I'm just looking forward to changing leaves and the scent when you rake them. It's my favorite! It's a lot different living in the city compared to a beach town because you don't see fields, abandoned barns, long winding empty roads or the lakeshore on a daily basis. But I do love living here because you drive just fifteen minutes outside and you hit beautiful scenery like this. I'm excited for more posts this autumn!

I was so excited to pull out my burnt orange tights, even though they look a bit red in these photos. Burnt orange, dark green, brown, ivory - mixing colors is probably my favorite thing about autumn style. I've always been interested in earthy tones, so dressing in this season is so easy for me. I also just received these boots from BC Footwear and was so excited to wear them. I absolutely love the glitter! Usually I don't wear pieces like this, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and I'm so glad I did. They'll be perfect for fall outfits. And these rings from 11 Eureka Boutique will constantly remind me all autumn to get out and live and live right.

I made an autumn bucket list the other day that I'm really looking forward to accomplishing. Ready? Pick out pumpkins, eat a caramel apple, go for a hay ride, explore a corn maze, eat a cider donut, drink hot apple cider, get a pumpkin spice latte, have a picnic outdoors, wear flannel, fall into leaves, take a scenic color tour trip, carve pumpkins, roast pumpkin seeds, watch a scary movie, buy Halloween candy, shop for Halloween costumes, dance my butt off at a Halloween party, drink a Woodchuck fall cider, sit by a bon fire, go to a haunted house, leaf photoshoot, go to Hell (this is going to be fun ;)), explore a cemetery, see The Exorcist at Wealthy Theater and watch the entire Back To The Future Trilogy. Okay, that last part isn't so much autumn, but I'm really in the mood for those movies lately!

So... hm, what's new. We celebrated Eric's birthday last week and I got him this jean jacket from UO. Now I'm jealous at how good he looks in it and I'm on the hunt for my own! I also made brownie cupcakes that actually turned out so good. (I'm the worst cook so this is huge!). I have a lot of fun local fashion events coming up that I can't wait to attend. I'll be at the ArtPrize Style Battle next Thursday, the Frances Jaye Boutique Grand Opening party in Holland and I'll be a guest judge at a Little Black Dress party in Kalamazoo in a couple of weeks. I'll keep you updated on everything happening!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Here is my September wishlist! Usually in September, we still have some hot summer days, so I'm always trying to find a nice mix between summer and autumn clothes. Statement pieces like the orange droplet necklace will transition perfectly from season to season. I'm also looking to invest in a new pair of nice brown boots and these boots from Threadsence are perfect. This month I'm loving orange, browns, purples, dark greens, polka dots and solid items for staple wardrobe pieces. I also love these Rayban eyeglasses for a back-to-school look and I cannot wait for the A Beautiful Mess/ModCloth collaboration to launch. What are you guys excited for and loving this month?

Monday, September 17, 2012

So, if you didn't already know, I headed out to New York City a couple of weeks ago for fashion week! On the first day there, I attended Lucky Magazine's FABB conference. I absolutely loved last year's conference, so I was really excited to go again! It's never a disappointment. They always have great speakers, interesting panel topics, the best lunches and the biggest swag bag you'll ever receive. I had a great time catching up with old blogger friends and meeting new ones!

>

I was the worst blogger when I was in NYC and barely even took my DSLR anywhere. So I snapped a lot of iPhone pictures that just didn't turn out. But here's one of my only photos for kicks and giggles (so bad, right?) Oh well, at least I thought to grab some outfit shots. I loved wearing this dress to the conference. It was really comfortable and had pockets, so I could carry my iPhone around all day. Plus, I always love polka-dots!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

We're finally upon the last pictures from our trip to the Sunrise Coast! On our final day, we stopped to Ocequec Falls. I was expecting an off-the-beaten path to see the waterfalls, but it was actually a really nice and updated park. Many of the locals come to these waterfalls to go swimming! They were perfect for swimming and walking around in on a hot summer day. They were some of the smallest waterfalls I've seen in the state, but they are one of the only two in the lower peninsula of Michigan!

This dress was so comfortable for exploring. The material is really breezy and lightweight. Although I love summer with a passion, I have such a hard time dressing for it. I think I have an easier time in winter even - at least I can layer! I always feel so guilty in summer just throwing on a dress and calling it an outfit post. I feel like I really get creative when I'm able to wear layers, tights and mix different patterns. I'm proud of a few summer outfits, but I'm really excited to dive into fall clothes finally.

I'm finally getting caught up on posts. I only have a couple posts of fashion week in New York, and then I'll be moving onto fall ones! We took some photos on Friday that felt so autumn. It just made me super excited. We had amazing weather this weekend. I ate a lot of good food, spent a lot of time with Eric, friends, family. Saw a movie. Went thrifting. Life is good and is going to get way better as each day goes by. Autumn makes my heart so happy!

Friday, September 14, 2012

Eeeeeeeee! Oh my gosh. After collecting these photos and seeing them all together, I got even more excited for autumn (didn't think that was possible!) I absolutely love this season. You are honestly going to get sick of hearing me talk about how much I love it. Don't say I didn't warn you. The colors, the leaves, the temperatures, the smell of autumn, the clothes, pumpkins, apples, orchards, corn mazes, hayrides and the thought of Halloween ahead? It's my own personal heaven. Here are some of my favorite outfits from autumns past. I can't wait to try and make this year the best one yet!

I'm a born and raised Michigan gal located in Grand Rapids. Selective Potential is where I share my personal style, adventures, trips around my home state, and bits about my life. Enjoy and be sure to say hello!